


A Post-Spar Soak

by gingerkitten2784



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M, Friends With Benefits, Hot Springs, Renji Freaks Out, Rukia Has No Shame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-01-09
Packaged: 2018-09-15 23:21:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9263279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingerkitten2784/pseuds/gingerkitten2784
Summary: After a friendly sparring session, the two lieutenants happen upon the hot springs, completely empty.





	

Renji and Rukia walk unhurriedly along the path toward the Kuchki Estate. After the training session the lieutenants just completed, neither can manage a pace beyond 'deliberate'. However, both feel content with this speed. The conversation flows smoothly, and neither has any plans for the rest of the day.

  
For his part, Renji finds himself inwardly grinning like a fool. After so many years, he finally feels like he and his childhood friend stand on equal footing once again. 

After her adoption into the Kuchki Clan, he felt inferior to Rukia, and unworthy of any kind of relationship with her - platonic, or otherwise. Now, his status as an officer, and the respect he has earned from his Captain (Rukia's adopted brother) has given him the confidence to rekindle their friendship. Even now, he can hardly believe how little things have actually changed between them. 

His mind begins to wander back to their days as kids in the Rukongai when a small, sharp punch to the arm interrupts his reverie.

"Wha?"

"I said: 'You are so gross. Like you don't smell bad enough after all that training?'" Rukia asks, playfully holding her nose.

"What are you talking about, idiot?"

"That smell! It's awful. And I know it wasn't me. Ladies don't do such disgusting things." she replies, with an air of faux haughtiness.

"Right. It's not either of us, you moron. You smell the sulfur from the hot springs - right through that clump of trees. Geeze, take your head out of your ass, why don't 'cha?"

"Hot springs? That doesn't seem right. Did we take a wrong turn or something?"

"Huh. I see your sense of direction has improved almost as much as your artistic skills. C'mon, I'll show ya." he playfully shoves her shoulder in the direction of the offending odor.

After a few minutes, the pair emerge from the copse into the steamy, if smelly, clearing around the springs.

"See? Told ya."

"Whaddya know? You were right, Renji. For once. Hey, why don't we hop in? I bet this heat would feel great after all that sparring."

"Well -" he begins awkwardly "I'd have to pop back to the barracks to grab something to wear."

"*Scoff* We don't need to wear anything. We're the only ones here. Let's just do like when we were kids."

"You mean - What?! No - uh - but -"

"Not like we haven't seen each other naked a million times before. Don't make it weird." Rukia says, removing her zanpakto and leaning it against a nearby rock.

"That was ages ago, this is different!" Renji protests.

"Whatever..." she replies, undoing the sash at her waist.

"OK. Woah. Wait a second. You really intend to just strip down and hop in there?!"

Rukia simply gives the man a whithering look.

"Ugh. Fine. At least let me turn around and give you some privacy. Just shout when you've gotten in."

She rolls her eyes at him, but doesn't protest. Renji turns his back to the petit woman and listens patiently. Fabric rustles, then he hears soft footsteps and the movement of water.

"OK. Turn around."

"Finally. Geeze Rukia - AH!"

The red-haired man gives a startled shout upon turning around. Instead of a face peeking above the water line, he finds Rukia - completely nude - dancing goofily around him, and singing:

"Ha ha ha ha ha. I tricked you! Now you've seen my ass! You can't unsee it. No no no. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

She moves in closer and pokes at him, starting a second verse:

"Here's my tits! You just saw them. You are such a dumbass! I tricked your dumb ass! Oh, yes I did."

Rukia continues poking at him, trying to pry his hands away from his face, punctuating each prod with more 'ha's'. 

"C'mon Renji. Loosen up. I can do a lot worse than dance around and sing off-key. You know that, right?"

"Oh Gods. The Captain's gonna murder me...and then kick me out of the squad...and then find a way to bring me back from the dead and murder me again."

"Not even. Byakuya knows about our friendship. He may not understand it, but he does trust me to make my own choices. As protective as he can act, he does know that I am my own person. Now come ON!" she emphasizes the last word with a sharp tug at his obi, causing his shihakusho to fall open.

"Rukia!"

"Ugh. When did you become such a prude? Now man up, strip down, and get in the damn water!" she scolds him, turning away to lower herself into the hot springs.

Still feeling extremely uneasy, Renji hesitantly begins to remove his uniform

"Ooh yeah. Slower, baby. Mhmm. Take it off!" Rukia calls from the water's edge, laughing heartily.

"Not helping."

"What? You looked uncomfortable, I just thought you'd appreciate some encouragement."

Renji grumbles, but continues to disrobe while attempting to maintain some semblance of dignity. Strategically covering specific parts of his anatomy, he makes his way to the edge of the water.

Rukia gives him another withering look, but keeps quiet while he lowers himself into the springs.

As he sinks into the opaque water, much of his previous reluctance, as well as the aches he accrued during training, melt away. Without thinking, he closes his eyes, stretches, and sighs grandly. 

"See? I always have the best ideas. You really should trust me more, Renji."

"Alright. Alright. This does feel pretty great. I hereby rescind all previous objections." he replies languidly, arms stretching wide along the edge of the pool. 

He can feel water slosh around his chest as Rukia moves to sit next to him. While he might have felt nervous about this some minutes ago, the wonderful heat seeping into his sore muscles has lulled him into an blissful haze. The pair sit silently enjoying the therapeutic waters for some time; the quiet peace only broken by a snippet of birdsong, or the occasional contented sigh as one of them reaches a deeper level of relaxation. 

Soon, Renji senses further movement next to him, and feels the soft tickle of short hair in the crook of his elbow. From the corner of his eye, he sees Rukia leaning her head against his arm. Before he can stop himself, his baser instincts assert themselves and his gaze proceeds lower. He takes in her placid closed-eyed expression, the graceful curve of her neck, and the rise and fall of the tops of her pert breasts above the water line as she breathes the humid air.

Though she doesn't open her eyes, Rukia grins, fully aware of Renji's tentative ogling. Slowly, she takes his hand from its' resting place on the ledge and pulls it around herself, bringing it down to cup her breast. 

"I know I'm no Lieutenant Matsumoto; but you have to admit, quality beats quantity every time."

"Given the choice between the fantasy of Rangiku, and the reality of now - I'll take right now."

In the murky depths of the pool, Renji feels dainty fingertips move deftly over his knee. They trace circuitous patterns on his thigh, seemingly moving without thought, and yet proceeding inexorably higher. He knows he should say something, try to stop before things go to far - but he can't. In fact, from the moment his friend suggested they have a soak in the springs, he had no chance. 


End file.
